Senior wins Ellen tickets

Three-time ticket winner visits with family

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(COURTESY/KENZIE DUNCAN)

AARON PUGLIANI

Over winter break, senior Kenzie Duncan fulfilled her childhood dream by attending The Ellen Show. She was a long-time, dedicated fan and has watched the show for eight years.

“I would come home after school and I would wait for my mom to come home,” Duncan said. “It was on at four o’clock everyday and we would watch it together.”

Part of what drew Duncan to the show was Ellen’s generosity. She strongly admires the way Ellen rewards hard workers during the course of her shows.

“We just loved watching who she surprised,” Duncan said. “Not necessarily the celebrities, but the random people going through hardships and just seeing what she presents them with to change their lives around.”

According to Duncan, the process of applying for tickets was simple. Duncan only had to enter her email in the online sweepstakes, before inputting her name and picking an attendance date that would work for her if she happened to win.

“I was just bored one day and I was like, ‘It would be pretty cool to go’ and so I just went online and did it,” Duncan said.

Duncan’s grandmother Ninette Murray said she was initially astounded by her granddaughter’s ease in obtaining the tickets to the show.

“I couldn’t believe it that she got them so quickly and easily,” Murray said.

Duncan won a total of three times after receiving eight bids to attend the show.

“I actually found out about both times receiving the tickets when I was in Mr. Fukuman’s class,” said Duncan. “My dad was jealous, my brother was jealous – everyone was really excited for me.”

After learning that she could only attend one show per season, Duncan picked a date and packed her bags. She brought several members of her family, along with a close friend, senior Courtney Carpenter, to come along for the show.

“I was so excited that she won and she wanted me to go with her,” Carpenter said. “I didn’t know she was going to ask our friends to go. And I’m good friends with her mom too and so it was such a fun and exciting experience.”

Getting to the show was exciting for the group, as they had no idea what awaited them.

“It was just amazing. We didn’t know what to expect,” Murray said. “Kenzie and her friend Courtney were getting all excited jumping up and down.”

Murray enjoyed her time there and felt lucky that she was able to attend.

“We had a great time because we drove,” Murray said. “It was a very neat experience for me since I was with two teenagers and my daughter of course. I was the oldest one.”

Although Carpenter was fascinated by the technicalities behind producing the show, she also took the time to recognize Ellen’s generosity.

“It was really interesting seeing how they filmed the show live and how different it looks,” Carpenter said. “But at the same time, you can tell her genuineness and how much she enjoys helping the people who receive the generous gifts.”

Duncan was ecstatic that she was given the opportunity to interact with celebrities, many of which were a part of the audience.

“It was really cool. I met Hugh Jackman,” Duncan said. “He literally was super close to me and he gave me a lottery ticket. It was cool to see the people on the show.”

Both she and Carpenter enjoyed their time as audience members on The Ellen Show and plan to make many more exciting lifelong memories together.

“It was just a really cool experience and I wouldn’t have traded it for the world,” Duncan said.